The United Nations warned its following of developments in Bangladesh very seriously; its spokesperson appealed for calm and restraint after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left, a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday.
The UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told the daily briefing that the organization is following closely the situation unfolding in the South Asian nation.
"We continue to call for calm and restraint and to urge all parties to respect the right to peaceful assembly and expression," said Haq, pointing out that the UN wants security forces to protect those demonstrating in Dhaka and other Bangladeshi cities.
Asked by the Press Trust of India, Haq said, "Our priority is for all parties to remain calm, and we stress that for us, it is essential that the transition should be peaceful, orderly, and democratic.".
"On behalf of the United Nations, we express our full solidarity with the people of Bangladesh in this period and we call for maximum respect for their democratic and human rights. The need is felt for an effective, independent, and impartial investigation into all acts of violence," he said further. The UN was keeping in touch with local authorities at the regional level while its Country Team was also in touch with the Bangladesh officials.
"But things are changing fast. We will have to see how things stabilize, " he added.
The exit of Prime Minister Hasina, who flew out of the country secretly in a military chopper, has left Bangladesh in a state of turmoil with the army taking over the administration following the power vacuum created by her departure.
Within minutes of Hasina's departure, hundreds stormed her residence, looted, and vandalized the property, dramatically intensifying anti-government protests that have claimed more than 300 lives in two weeks.
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